2018 MIDTERM ELECTION

The good news: Enrollment in the ACA private Medicaid option program is up to 218K, about 7,000 higher than it was as of mid-October.The bad news: With the state legislature & governor's office being completely overrun by Republicans, the future of the program isn't looking great:

Hutchinson said a new surgeon general would give him a new perspective at the future of the state's health issues, including the "private option" Medicaid expansion, which is using federal money to purchase private insurance for the poor.

"He's done a great job, but we have to have a fresh look at all of this and I think a new surgeon general will help us to have that fresh look," Hutchinson told reporters.

More than 218,000 people are enrolled in the program, which was crafted as an alternative to the Medicaid expansion envisioned under the health law.

But the future of the "private option" is in jeopardy after several opponents won seats in the Legislature. Hutchinson has said he'll announce in late January whether he'll support reauthorizing it, which would require a three-fourths vote from the House and Senate.